[Ladysmom]

According to this, Pit Bulls account for nearly a quarter of all fatal dog attacks.

The news here in North Carolina is full of stories of pit bull attacks. According to this, North Carolina is #8 on the list of fatal dog attacks.

Their "bad rep" appears well earned, at least in this state.


"FATAL DOG ATTACKS"
The Stories Behind the Statistics
by Karen Delise

THE STATISTICS - FATAL DOG ATTACKS IN THE U.S. FROM 1965 - 2001 *

The study covers 431 documented human fatalities from a dog attack.

Location of Attack
25% of all fatal attacks were inflicted by chained dogs
25% resulted from dogs loose in their yard
23% occurred inside the home
17% resulted from attacks by dogs roaming off their property
10% involved leashed dogs or miscellaneous circumstances

Number of Dogs
68% of all fatal attacks were inflicted by a single dog
32% was the result of a multiple dog attack

Victim Profile
79% of all fatal attacks were on children under the age of 12
12% of the victims were the elderly, aged 65 - 94
9% of the victims were 13 - 64 years old

The age group with the highest number of fatalities were children under the age of 1 year old; accounting for 19% of the deaths due to dog attack. Over 95% of these fatalities occurred when an infant was left unsupervised with a dog(s).

The age group with the second-highest number of fatalities were 2-year-olds; accounting for 11% of the fatalities due to dog attack. Over 87% of these fatalities occurred when the 2-year-old child was left unsupervised with a dog(s) or the child wandered off to the location of the dog(s).

Boys aged 1 - 12 years old were 2.5 times more likely to be the victim of a fatal dog attack than girls of the same age.

Breeds Involved
Pit Bull and Pit-bull-type dogs (21%), Mixed breed dogs (16%),
Rottweilers (13%), German Shepherd Dogs (9%), Wolf Dogs (5%),
Siberian Huskies (5%), Malamutes (4%), Great Danes (3%),
St. Bernards (3%), Chow Chows (3%), Doberman Pinschers (3%),
other breeds & non-specified breeds (15%).

Reproductive Status of Dogs
Overwhelmingly, the dogs involved in fatal dog attacks were unaltered males.
From 2000-2001 there were 41 fatal dog attacks. Of these, 28 were attacks by a single dog and 13 fatalities were caused by multiple dogs.

Of the 28 single dogs responsible for a fatal attack between 2000-2001;
26 were males and 2 were females. Of the 26 males, 21 were found to be intact (the reproductive status of the remaining 5 males dogs could not be determined).

States with the Most Fatalities - 1965-2001
California, 47; Texas, 32; Alaska, 26; Florida, 22; New York, 19; Michigan, 18; Illinois, 18; North Carolina, 17; Georgia, 16.

 

[Ladysmom]

The frightening thing is that here in North Carolina, most of the pit bull attacks are by family dogs on small children while they are visiting their grandparents, aunts, etc., not by chained dogs in the neighborhood. As others have pointed out, where is the supervision?

Another big problem here is loose pit bulls attacking passersby. Almost weekly here there are reports of this on the local news, often elderly woman walking their own dog or a child on a bicycle.

In all these cases, obviously there is a lack of responsibility on the part of the dog's owner. I view pits, rotties and the like as similar to having a loaded gun in the house. In the hands of some people it may be totally safe, but the potential for disaster and tragedy goes way up when they are in the hands of irresponsible people.

Unfortunately, we can't regulate who owns a pit bull, unless there is an incident, like we can regulate who buys a gun.

It's too bad there isn't some sort of competency test required to own a dog, not just specific breeds!

 

[Ladysmom]

This is an excellent article about the problem with pit bulls in NYC, their appeal to "thugs and low lifes" as K&C's mom calls them, how pit's were bred for fighting and their unique genetic make up, plus the role irresponsible owners play in this growing inner city problem. It is very informative and presents both sides of the story, IMO.

http://www.city-journal.org/html/9_2_scared_of_pit.html

 

[Ladysmom]

In this case here in North Carolina, the owners of the dog were charged contributing to the deliquency of a minor for letting the child (their niece) get too close to the chained pit bull. As I said earlier, it's amazing how many of the pit bull attacks here in NC happen at the home of friends and relatives. And, as is the case here, most dogs are not up to date on their rabies shots.

These idiots probably own guns, too!

Aunt, Boyfriend Charged in Dog Attack
www.rrdailyherald.com
Lance Martin

April 25, 2005,ROANOKE RAPIDS, NORTH CAROLINA - The owners of a pit bull have been arrested in the near-fatal dog bite of a young girl. The couple - the victim's aunt and her boyfriend - are accused of lying to police when they claimed another animal had attacked the 2-1/2 -year-old child.

Skylar Finney remained in stable condition this morning at the University of North Carolina Medical Center, according to her grandmother, Cheryl Livesay.

Police Chief Greg Lawson said a break in the case came about 5 p.m.,Thursday when police learned the dog that bit Skylar was a male pit bull chained in the back yard of Daniel Lewter's house at 714 Miles Street and was not a stray.

Lewter, 19, and Christine Livesay, the 19-year-old aunt of the child, were both charged with one count each of child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor child, delaying and obstructing law enforcement officers, filing a false police report and having a vicious animal.

Livesay was arrested at the Miles Street residence she and Lewter share around 7:43 p.m. Lewter turned himself in to police later that evening.

Lawson declined to elaborate on whether the break in the case came from admission by family members or through investigation. He did credit Detectives James Ayers and Roy Ball and Sgt. Ozzie Morgan for "doing an outstanding job" on the case.

This morning, the grandmother told the Daily Herald, "The family did not know they were lying. We were devastated. They (Lewter and Christine Livesay) came (to the hospital) and stood at the foot of her bed. They knew her condition. They knew she faced the rabies shots. They never said a word... I don't know how anybody can do that."

The discovery of the truth in the case ends nearly 100 hours of investigation and officers responding to calls of a stray brownish-tan dog resembling a lab roaming around the neighborhood near Miles Street and other areas of the city.

Lawson said police had suspicions soon after the girl was bitten Monday. "We had our suspicions confirmed and validated there was a pit bull in the yard." Cheryl Livesay said the family was also suspicious. "But all we had to go with was what they told us ... We had a gut instinct but we couldn't prove it."

The contributing to the delinquency of a minor charge was filed because the child was allowed to get too close to a dangerous animal, Lawson said this morning.

The dog was seized and quarantined at the Halifax County Animal Shelter and pending further investigation, police will seek a court order to have the dog killed.

Halifax County Chief Animal Control Officer Robert Richardson said an investigation was going to be done to determine whether the animal had rabies shots, but he said he didn't think it did have the shots.

Lawson could not say what prompted the attack. "Our opinion is the child was allowed to get too close to this animal. It was really disturbing to our officers."

Skylar was severely bitten on the head and face, according to police reports. The little girl is still undergoing rabies treatment at the hospital. She has also received numerous other medical procedures including reconstructive and oral surgery for damage to her head and face, according to police.

Cheryl Livesay said the doctors decided to leave the child's breathing tube in place for at least one more day due to fluid in her lungs. "The nurses and the doctors say she is a fighter ... she is a strong little girl," she added.

Lawson said while the police department was misdirected, "The outpouring from the community to help was important. It helped also with the case."

Lewter and Livesay were each released on $2,000 bond and are scheduled to appear in court May 20.

The family is accepting funds to help with the Skylar's medical care through a special trust fund established at Roanoke Valley Saving Bank. Cheryl Livesay stressed none of the money donated to Skylar would be used to benefit either Lewter or Christine Livesay.

 

[Ladysmom]

I got some in the gun shop here that is like mace, but especially for dogs. It was about $10, I think.

I had a cat killed by a dog years ago and my poor Petie was attacked several times by male dogs who would congregate outside when my neighbor's Boxer was in heat. My daughter ended up underneath 3 of them, still hanging into the leash trying to protect Petie. I had to beat off a German Shorthair who decided that he might like to eat me instead.

I would absolutely not hesitate to use it should any loose dog approach me and Lady. Fortunately, I live in the city limits with a strict leash law, plus a planned community that respects the rules. Except for the occasional newbie who tries to take their dog out for a quick pee off leash (and we report them and they get a warning), we don't usually have a problem with loose dogs here.

Still, I always keep my mace with me.